There is a universal need to learn about empathy, respect and other SEL skills. Early childhood education and schools long for more knowledge on how to do it and easy-to-use tools. In addition to teacher education, quicker methods are needed. Stories can be read and listened to by anyone. Our Crow stories include a simple and funny, culture-independent storyline with a focus on SEL skills.
First, a story is read (https://positive.fi/en/see-the-good-service-and-products/see-the-good-books-and-cards/) or listened to (in Finnish: https://areena.yle.fi/audio/1-50800984). Atm, the three first stories have been translated into English (https://drive.google.com/file/d/10QFet9dZfq3o9evoHdIF0gXowqLO9UKC/view
Every story is followed by a short version of the same story making it easy to read from a mobile phone. At the end of each story, there are exercises for deepening the reading experience by discussing the story with children and for developing their SEL skills. The stories also include exercises for language development and for artistic and practical subjects which help to integrate the learnings in schoolwork and make the stories a great introduction to many kinds of pleasant activities. If you wish, after getting familiar with the SEL skill in the story, start training the same skill using the go.positive.fi service (see also our other innovation "See the Good!").
The Finnish Character Crow's storybook was released in January 2021. It has been a best-seller in Finland (https://www.ps-kustannus.fi/tuotesarjat/Huomaa-hyv%C3%A4.html). Finland's biggest broadcasting company YLE ordered audio versions of the stories (https://areena.yle.fi/audio/1-50800984). In two months, they have been listened to more than 300,000 times. First animations and a "Crow dance" have been developed (https://vimeo.com/512439803). Our See the Good! pedagogy is very well known in Finland.
The stories are part of our See the Good! product series which is translated into several languages. However, the stories make an entity of their own with no need for additional materials.
English translation of the stories is on the way (the first translations here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/10QFet9dZfq3o9evoHdIF0gXowqLO9UKC/view) audio versions (in Finnish, here: https://areena.yle.fi/audio/1-50800984) will be published in English too. Animations will be made in the future. Meanwhile, free Character Crow material can be found at positive.fi and go.positive.fi.
